Method of quenching coke



Juy 24, 1928.

. F. F. MARQUARD METHOD oF QUENGHING COKE Filed Aug. 8, 1925 2 Sheets-Shee July 24, 1928.

F. F. MARQUARD METHOD OF QUENCHING COKE Filed Aug. s, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 Inventor.' y flaw/m: Mae( 'nesses: n M

lliatented july 24, 1928.

UM STATES PATENT oFr-ic-E..

FRANK F. MARQUARD, O F CLAIRTGN, PENNSYLVANIA.

.METHOD OF QUENCHING COKE.

Appueation mea August s, 1925. serial Nb. 49,038.

moisture content of the coke is very muchv reduced resulting in an improved quality of coke.

Another object is to provide an improved method of quenching coke whereby less water is required for the quenching operation due to the more efficient. application of the water.

A further object is to rovide an improved method of quenching collie whereby effectiveness of the quenching water recirculated in a closed system is increased due to remaining at a lower temperature. The fact that less excess water is used, less water is drained back into the system.

Hereto ore the hot coke has been discharged from the coke ovens into a car, commonly known as a hot'cai1 or quenching car. rl`he car then is conveyed to a quenching station consisting of a suitable tower of sufficient size to receive the car, and a system of water sprays. When the car has been placed in the quenching tower, or station, the sprays are operated so as to continuously spray the hot coke in the car with water for 30 to 75 seconds at the rate of from 150 to 200 gallons of water per second. rlhis continuous spraying resulted in a hooded hotl car, and the excess of water in the car interfered with the free passage of air and water vapors and greatly reduced the etticiency of the quenching operations. Many effects detrimental to the quality of the coke .and life of the equipment resulted from the flooding of the hot car. Owing to variations in operations, the coke was not uniformly spread throughout the length of the hot car and due to irregularities in oven. temperatures, some coke was much hotter than other coke of the same charge. Since there was no practical way of varying the water spray to vary the thickness and temperature of coke in the car, frequently red hot coke would remain in parts of the car while the coke in other parts of the car would be overquenched. AGver-qtienching of the-coke results in a high moisture content which is very undesirable for metallurgical purposes. Furthermore, over-quenched coke screens poorly, due to the coke dust and small particles clinging to the moistA pieces of coke, resulting in what is known as dirty coke.

The under-quenched or hot coke requires the additional labor for spot quenching by hand hose on the coke wharf, and even then portions of the hot or under-quenched coke is liable to be discharged onto the conveyers leading to the storage bins or cars, resulting in damage to such conveyers and, at times,

in the igniting of the coke in the bin or car.

Attempts heretofore have been made to prevent the two extremes of over and underquenching the coke, by varying the number and size of spray holes and varying the time of spraying, but alll of such attempts have utilized a continuous spraying or flooding of the coke.

The improved method of this`application follows the usual method up to the time the quenching or hot car enters the quenching tower, and utilizes the same or substantially the same apparatus used in carrying out the old method. After the quenching or hot car is positioned in the quenching tower the coke is sprayed with water at the rate of froml 150 to 200 gallons per second for a very short period of approximately five seconds, and then allowed to drain for a more extended period of approximately thirty seconds, and then again sprayed with water at the rate of from l5() to 200 gallons per second for a period of approximately five seconds, and again allowed to drain for a period of approximately thirty seconds. This alternate spraying and draining may be continued until the coke is entirely quenched, although generally two quenching and draining periods are suficient to completely quench the usual charge of coke in a quenching car.

ln this manner, after each short interval of quenching, the coke is allowed to drain and all water retained by the coke is evaporated, allowing the maximum cooling effect. due to the free passage of the water vapor and air between the pieces of coke and the free interchange of heat between the various parts of the charge of coke, resulting in the charge of coke being quenched to a compara` tively uniform temperature throughout, and having a low average moisture content.

lin the drawings:

Figure l isa sectional end elevation of a quenching tower adapted to carry out my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the numeral 2 designates the tower as a whole which is generally of rectangular shape and is lprovided with an opening 3 in each end wal to permit the entrance and exit of the quenching car 4. The tower is of sutlicient size to receive and enclose the quenching car. l

The quenching car 4 may be of any ordinary standard construction and is generally provided with an inclined bottom wall 5 to permit the gravity discharge of the rplienched coke, and perforated side Walls (not s own) to permit the discharge of the excess sprayed water.

A suitable sump 6 is provided along one side wall of the tower and a drain outlet opening 7 along the bottom of the tower permits the excess water drained from the car 4 to escape'through the opening 7 into the sump,

A suitable supply pipe 8 is arranged to supply water to the sump 6 and a pipe 9 leads from the sump to a pump 10, which pump operates to draw water from the sump and force it up through a conduit 11 to a tank 12 'from which it is discharged through a discharge conduit 13 to the spray pipes 14 having suitable openings (not shown) through which the water is sprayed onto the hot coke in the car4. A valve 15 is located intermediate the ends of the conduit 13 to control the dow of water to the spray pipes.

The quenching car 4 may contain varying quantities of coke accordin to the size of the ovens, but will general y vary between twenty and twenty-six thousand pounds, and

experience has shown that approximately fijar/acre Fahrenheit, while .at least thirty per cent more water is needed to quench the same quantity of coke under the old method.

By the use of this improved method of quenching the water is permitted to drain away from the coke and the hot steam rising through the tower 'will produce a stack effect. to draw air through the openings 3 and 7 of the tower, asindicated by arrows in t-he drawings. The air lthus drawn into the tower will circulate freely upward throu -h the drained coke to aid in the cooling ot the coke.

It will be understood that while l have shown a more or less schematic arrangement of apparatus in the drawings for carrying out my improved method, that such apparatus is only illustrative and that I do not Wish to be limited 'to the use of such apparatus in 'the use of my method which is expressed in the following claims.

I claim:

1. The method of quenching hot coke which includes intermittently spraying the hot coke with water 'for relatively short periods, andpermitting the coke to drain and cool for relatively long periods between the successive spraying periods 2. The method of quenching hot coke which includes intermittently spraying the hot coke with water for relatively short periods, and permittingI the coke to' drain -and cool for relativelyl long periods between the successive spraying periods, and causing an induced flow of air upwardly through the coke during said cooling and draining periods.

3. The method of quenching hot coke which includes the steps of intermittently spraying the hot coke with water and permitting the coke to drain and the residual water on the coke to evaporate between the spraying periods, at least two spraying and two dralning periods being used to quench the coke.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. l

FRANK F. MARQUARD. 

